Link to seedling pics?

[kylie77]

I'm very very new to gardening. I've just started a pile of veg from seeds inside. I'm so worried about killing them by over watering, under watering, not enough light etc...! Since I've never done this before I don't know what a healthy seedling looks like. Are there any links to pictures of plants in the different stages?? That would be such a great help.

Thanks

[hendi_alex]

These tomatoes are about two weeks old. Look for somewhat thick, stocky plants with good color. If the plants are thin and tall, reaching for the light, then the light is inadequate, likely too far above the plants. As far as watering, wait on the surface to get lightly dry and then add a little water. I generally bottom water in a tray.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3325094959_d06767af40.jpg[/img]

What have you planted?

[kylie77]

Thanks so much for the pic. Your plants look just great. Mine are nowhere near that stage. My tomatoes have only just germinated. I started the seeds about 6 days ago. They are thin now but is this normal at this stage? I find it hard to imagine that they'll grow to the size of yours in a week or so , but maybe I'll be surprised.

I have planted some herbs, strawberries, peas, yellow zuccini (these look great I think), cucumber, tomatoes, and peppers. I am VERY new to gardening, so am sure I've made mistakes. I'm not entirely sure I've even started the right plants at the right time. But, I'm looking at it as a learning experience, and I'm loving the whole thing!

I'll take some pics later on and post them to see if I can get some comments on how they're doing.

Thanks so much for your help.

[hendi_alex]

This is not a very good photo, but these were my first tomato seedlings for this summer. They were planted in December and the photo was taken at approximately three weeks. The plants got filtered sunlight in the green house plus augmented light from my makeshift light for 12-14 hours per day. Notice that I kept the light almost touching the tops of the seedlings.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3445/3221967435_a040fb7a14.jpg[/img]

Here is a photo of those same plants taken ten days ago. One plant now has one cluster of tomatoes and the plants are beginning to bloom freely. They will be put in the ground and in permanent planter location in a month or less.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3355791627_9f9daf943b.jpg[/img]

Here is a photo of a few early squash, cucumbers, and zucchini plants started just over two weeks ago. They are just getting their first true leaves. Have not often planted these in containers as usually sow seeds directly in the ground. These look a little leggy to me and are leaning toward the light. I just found the plants this a.m. having forgotten them inside in poor light as they were brought inside on a frosty night a few days ago. They will do o.k. but I would prefer shorter stockier plants. These stretched for the light after sprouting. The light bulb should have been placed closer right after germination.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3384810893_8eb865d89e.jpg[/img]

[mbaker410]

Your plants look good so far. I am just getting started with my seeds here in Baltimore, MD. When I am germinating seeds I use a heating matt under the trays and just use a spray bottle with room temp water and mist the top of the soil until damp and leave under the lights for 16 hours/day.

This seemed to work for me and got quick results in terms of germination. I planted my seeds in cells on Monday and already have seedlings sprouting.

Like Hendi said bottom water your tray as it will encourage the roots to grow down to the water source and keep your lights close to the seedlings and move higher as needed. This will prevent your seedlings from getting leggy.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[kylie77]

[img]<a%20href="https://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/?action=view&current=IMG_2861.jpg"%20target="_blank"><img%20src="https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2861.jpg"%20border="0"%20alt="Photobucket"></a>[/img]

I hope this pic works. If it does I'll post some more. This is a pic of my tomatoes. They were started on friday evening.

If it doesn't work could someone explain how to put in a pic please?

[kylie77]

Sorry about that. I'm sure it's very simple to do as well.

Ok let's try it this way. Here is a link to my tomato pic https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2858.jpg They were started friday evening.

Here's some of the peas. https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2861.jpg They were also started friday evening.

Here are my cucumbers started sat. https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2853.jpg

These are a couple of the yellow zuccini I started on friday. https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2855.jpg

Are they looking at all like they should? I have them in front of a bright window as was talked out of buying a light by someone at home depot! lol She seemed to know what she was talking about so I listned to her.

Also how do I know when they need water? How dry should they be?

[hendi_alex]

Right click on your image. Click on properties. Copy the URL address. Come back to the dialogue box at this site. Click "Img", click paste, click "Img*" and your picture will insert. You had all kinds of strange characters inserted in your first attempt. Why don't you go in and edit the first post for practice in getting the photos to show. Nice looking plants!

[img]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2861.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2858.jpg[/img]

[kylie77]

Thanks for that. I'll feel very stupid if it doesn't work this time! lol
Any thought on how they're doing?

IMG]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2853.jpg[/IMG]

Cucumbers

[img]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2855.jpg[/img]

Those are the yellow zuccini.

[img]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2858.jpg[/img]

Tomato plants.

[img]https://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/vegpics/IMG_2861.jpg[/img]

Peas

[hendi_alex]

Everything is looking great. Your zucchini appears to have gotten a much better start than mine. The tomatoes appear to be stretching just a bit, if the light could be put even closer. And if I were you, would put the peas outside in direct sunlight. They don't mind cold weather though a frost will slow them down, so just bring them in on frosty nights, until the plants go into the ground.

You will notice that the left bracket was left off of your first photo link. Congratulations on getting the photo thing down though. Sometimes written instructions can be tough to follow.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Three zucchini plants? How many mouths do you have to feed, Kylie? That's enough for six families by my estimation...

Everyone's starts look great, and you are making me itchy for planting time (still months off here; my frost date is May 15th!)

HG

[kylie77]

Thanks so much! I'm very relieved to hear that they look pretty much like they should at this point. Phew!

I just have them in a bright window, so I can't move the light closer. I had gone to buy a light and was going to set something up for them, but the woman at the shop I spoke to convinced me that I didn't need one. I might have to re-think that.

[kylie77]

See this is how much I have to learn! lol I had no idea one zuccini plant would produce as much as you're saying! I actually have 6 of them since I didn't take a pic of all of them! I'm guessing I don't need that many! lol I have to keep 3 though because my kids each have one of their own that they're caring for! They're loving it and would be devastated if I took them away.

Can I ask you how many of each plant should I have to feed a family of 5 (who all love their veg!)? I really have no idea. When I started the seeds I wasn't too worried. I figured I'd loose lots of them and by having far too many I had more of a chance of enough of them working. Also any ideas what I can do with the ones I don't need? I don't know if I could bring myself to just tossing them out.

Our frost date here is May 1st. I hope I haven't started too too early? The packages on many of the things I started said to start 6-8weeks before the last frost, so I thought I was ok. The other ones I figured couldn't be THAT early. Maybe I was wrong?

Thanks for your help. I have been reading up on everything and learning lots. I just have a long way to go before I will feel like I am compentant! But, it really is a lot of fun.

[hendi_alex]

Here in S.C. we have problems with disease like powdery mildew, and pests like squash vine borers and squash bugs. All of these can decimate a squash plant so for me it is necessary to overplant. That effort consists of two crookneck and two zucchini. If they do well, then we give away at least 2/3 of the fruit from those four plants. The plants invariably get weak/spent/diseased about a month after production starts so we always do a succussion planting quite a distance from the first plants. Will start those about a month after the first plants go into the ground. In B.C. with different growing conditions, you may be fortunate enough to have the plants produce the whole summer. But it may be worth you while to direct seed a couple of replacement plants a few weeks after your first ones go into the ground. Then based upon that outcome, you can plan next year's strategy. Just a thought for your consideration.

[kylie77]

Thanks for that. You know I had read about succussion planting and was going to try it. Last year we had a ton of peas, carrots,and tomatoes. It was just awesome while we had them, but of course it didn't last all that long, I guess about a month. I thought by starting earlier and planting more in a month or so I would hopfully get to enjoy the fruits of my labour for much longer. I don't care if I have too much anyway. I can donate to the food bank or something like that.

Hmm there's an idea... maybe I should ask if the food bank would take the extra plants I will have? I don't konw if they would do that, but I could ask. It could be a wonderful idea getting people low on cash into gardening! Most people at least have a balcony where a couple buckets would fit. What do you think?!

[ManokAnak]

kylie77,

If you do plant all your zucchini plants and you find you have plenty of fruits, you can just harvest the flowers. They can be stuffed and fried.

[kylie77]

Thanks for that. I've never heard of that before so would definately be fun to try! Oh and my dh is a chef, so I'm sure he would know what to do with them!

[rainbowgardener]

Your average last frost date is May 15th and you don't have anything planted yet? My average last frost date is April 15th and I started the first seeds indoors in mid January, cold weather and cold hardy stuff like cabbage, broccoli, fennel, cold hardy perennials like coreopsis. By mid feb I planted stuff like tomatoes and peppers and last weekend I planted everything else - squash, hyacinth bean vine, climbing snapdragon. If I could plant tomatoes (indoors of course) 6 weeks ago, it seems like you could certainly be planting your before now? My cabbage and broccoli have been in the ground outdoors (with cloches) for a couple weeks. They have been through several below freezing nights no problem. Now I have petunias and early varieties of tomatoes out in the (unheated, not very airtight) greenhouse during the days, though I'm still bringing them in for cold nights, because we are in a very up and down season.